


Extra Strawberries

by ami_ven



Category: NCIS
Genre: Gen, Gift Fic, Team as Family
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-09
Updated: 2018-04-09
Packaged: 2019-04-20 13:57:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 352
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14262489
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ami_ven/pseuds/ami_ven
Summary: “You’re a lucky young man to have such a wonderful family.”





	Extra Strawberries

**Author's Note:**

> Written as a birthday present for "nakeisha" and originally posted to LiveJournal

“Not drowning your omelet in ketchup this morning, Jethro?” asked Dr. Mallard, teasing.

Agent Gibbs shrugged. “They’re out.”

“They usually have extras up front,” said Jimmy. “I’ll get it.”

The café where they were having breakfast was a few blocks from the Navy Yard, and he and Dr. Mallard were fairly regular lunch-time customers, when they had the time between cases. Agent Gibbs was busier and usually more of a diner guy, but Jimmy hadn’t been surprised when he’d joined them. He hadn’t mentioned Jimmy’s birthday – but then, he hadn’t mentioned it for the last three years of breakfasts, either.

“Excuse me,” said Jimmy, at the counter. “Do you have an extra ketchup?”

“Sure thing, hon,” said one of the waitresses. They were all older ladies and familiar from their frequent visits, even if he didn’t know their names. Still facing the back wall, where they kept the supplies, she added, “The girls and I were just saying how nice it is that you and your dad come in together so often. And actually talk to each other! It’s easy to see how much you care about each other.”

“Well, I…” Jimmy began, but she turned back around with the ketchup, smiling.

“And your uncle asked me to give you extra strawberries on your waffle, since it’s your birthday,” the waitress said. “You’re a lucky young man to have such a wonderful family.”

“I…” Jimmy tried again, then smiled. “Yeah, I’m pretty lucky.”

He took the bottle back to their table, where Agent Gibbs accepted it with a grunt of thanks. After a mouthful of ketchupy eggs, he added, “Ducky was telling me about those extra classes you’re taking, Palmer. Thought you were already a doctor.”

“Oh, I am, Agent Gibbs,” Jimmy assured him. “But there’s always more to learn. And since Dr. Mallard has already studied criminal psychology, I thought I would focus on more physical forensics. If I keep going, I can even help Abby in the lab.”

Agent Gibbs nodded. “That’s good work, Palmer,” he said, and somehow Jimmy’s next bite of strawberry waffles tasted even better.

THE END


End file.
